Human Genetic Engineering

Human genetic engineering raises several ethical and legal questions. This field is growing and changing at a tremendous pace. These changes are accompanied with a number of benefits and risks which must be weighed in the light of moral, spiritual, legal and ethical perspectives. The potential power of human genetic engineering comes with great responsibility. Scientists all over the world are assertively researching the many different aspects of human genetic engineering. These enduring breakthroughs have allowed science to understand DNA and its role in all fields of science more effectively and deeply. A Princeton biologist, Lee Silver acknowledges that the costs of these genetic engineering technologies will limit their full use to only a small elite class which will later on be known as GenRich, and the normal people will be called the Naturals.

Human genetic engineering might play a role in changing the shape of family structure by complicating the role of parenting within a family of complex kinship relations. For instance, a female DNA donor would be the clone’s genetic twin, rather than mother, complicating the genetic and social relationships between mother and child as well as the relationships between other family members and the clone. Human genetic engineering has presented a tool to end the suffering associated with genetic diseases and because of this technology, everyone will have the reproductive rights to choose the characteristics of their child.

The principal benefit of the human genetic engineering technology is gene therapy, the medical treatment of a disease by replacing or repairing defective genes. On the other hand, humans will have difficulty in accepting the genetically engineered creatures amongst themselves. This will also change their lifestyles to a great extent. Also while treating one defect, it may cause another. The potential power of human genetic engineering comes with great responsibility.  Ironically, man will just become another man made thing.